‘45’ movie review: Star power salvages Arjun Janya’s uneven magnum opus

Arjun Janya impressively gives solid screen time to all three stars of his directorial debut, 45. He hasn’t roped in Shivarajkumar, Upendra, and Raj B Shetty only to entice people to theatres. The ace music composer also shows promise in his first attempt at direction.

45 begins well, with the plot being introduced in gripping fashion. Vinay, an IT employee, dreams of an accident which leads to his death. The next day, he observes that things are unfolding just like how he saw in his dream, including his bike crashing into a dog, killing it on the spot. Vinay cautiously avoids the ill fate he met in his dream, but also gets curious about life after death.

To his shock, he starts facing dangerous situations described in the documentary. While he represents the soul in the Garuda Purana, Upendra enters the scene as the representation of Yamaraja, the god of death.

Named Rayappa, Upendra plays a ruthless baddie. Rayappa is furious at Vinay for killing his dog and gives him 45 days to live, vowing to kill him after that. In the Hindu traditions, 45 days after death marks a significant milestone, indicating the completion of the soul’s journey.

If this review reads like lessons on religion and mythology, then it’s a reflection of the film. Arjun Janya throws one piece of information after another at you, instead of offering an engaging cinematic experience.

The first-time director jumps on the Kantara bandwagon as a religious theme forms the core of 45. That said, an interesting premise is undone by poor execution.

Set in the present, the script attempts to be a blend of satire and thrills on modern-day problems, but there is too much melodrama (the often-tried mother-sentiment angle). Thanks to Shivarajkumar’s enjoyable performance, some portions play out with light-heartedness, with a spirited Raj B Shetty complementing his senior colleague.

The star power of 45 salvages an uneven plot, with Upendra joining the party with a typical yet watchable eccentric performance. Take the triumvirate out of the equation, and 45 is a preachy take on several half-baked themes, including a philosophical commentary on man’s fear of losing his job, love, and the ultimate fear of losing his life.

While the film sustains a fair amount of curiosity factor, the proceedings are mostly dull, with the biggest flaw being the long and bland action sequences, except for the one realistically staged rain fight scene, which is propelled further by a spirited performance from Raj B Shetty.

That scene is proof that 45 isn’t entirely disappointing. Some thought has gone into Shivarajkumar’s goofy character, while Arjun Janya also shows flashes of brilliance in staging scenes, especially the ‘massy’ introduction scene featuring Shivarajkumar. Even the humour, blended with references to classics of Upendra and Shivarajkumar, works to an extent.

The VFX portions don’t stand out, but they aren’t unwatchable either. However, the negatives outweigh the positives in 45. The movie lacks focus, and itscomplex narrative structure is its biggest drawback. It’s as if the director wants to convey too many things but chose a convoluted route, eventually ending up with an uneven product.